As the weather begins to improve, our thoughts turn to spring and things like new cars (or at least ones that aren’t covered in salt). How about a new play, too? This week Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati offers a show that’s just three years old, originating in a hit production in Seattle.
Some critics are of the opinion that Steven Dietz’s play Becky’s New Car epitomizes the spirit of modern, contemporary comedy. It turns the predictable table of a midlife crisis upside down with a woman who doesn’t have a half-bad life. But it's become mundane, and her job at a car dealership is not fulfilling her. So when an oddball, grief-stricken millionaire comes in and mistakes her for a widow, she finds herself leading a double life that becomes impossible to control.
Adding to the humor is the way Becky’s character, played by veteran local actress Kate Wilford, breaks the “fourth wall” of the stage in new and unusual ways, connecting quite directly with the audience. Joining Wilford in the Car are John LiBrizzi and three actors who made last season’s Mauritius at ETC a hit: New York regular Dennis Parlato and local favorites Annie Fitzpatrick and Michael Bath. ETC Producing Artistic Director D. Lynn Meyers directs.
Tickets are $30-$40. Through March 28. Find showtimes, buy tickets and get ETC details here.
Read Rick Pender's interview with Dietz here. Read Rick's review here.
